System and method for publishing information and content

Abstract

A publisher is configured to receive a plurality of inputs such as audio, imagery, text, responses to questionnaires, and the like. The publisher is also operable to access a registry having pre-existing information and content. A user may submit inputs, and may further make selections relating to how the inputs will be processed by the publisher. The publisher is operable to process the inputs in accordance with the user's selections to produce any of a variety of outputs. Outputs of the publisher may include books, sound recordings, newspapers, web pages, movies, prayer cards, collages/montages, and the like. The publisher is also operable to automatically generate a biographical text about a deceased friend or relative of the user, based on inputs and selections provided by the user. The publisher may also provide voice-overs for movies automatically generated using image input, audio input, and selections provided by the user.

1 . A method of publishing, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving inputs, wherein at least a portion of the inputs are received electronically via a network, wherein at least one of the inputs comprises content selected from the group consisting of audio, imagery, and text;   (b) storing at least a portion of the received inputs in a storage medium;   (c) presenting a plurality of publication options to a user via the network, wherein the publication options comprise options relating to one or both of form or content of a tangible writing to be based on the inputs;   (d) receiving publication option selections from the user, wherein the publication option selections are received via the network;   (e) processing the received inputs and the received publication option selections, wherein the act of processing comprises automatically generating a printable writing based on the received inputs, wherein the writing is generated in accordance with the received publication option selections; and   (f) providing the generated writing in a tangible medium, wherein the tangible medium is human readable, wherein the writing comprises one or both of imagery or text.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising electronically accessing a registry, wherein the registry comprises entries of biographical information relating to a plurality of deceased people, wherein at least a portion of the received inputs comprises biographical information received from the registry. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the received inputs are received from the user. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the publication options comprise a plurality of available templates for an automatically generated writing, wherein each template is associated with a corresponding writing style, wherein the generated writing is automatically written the style corresponding to a selected template. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the provided generated writing comprises one or more of a book or a prayer card. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the provided generated writing comprises a register for funeral attendees. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising presenting a questionnaire to the user, wherein at least a portion of the received inputs comprise responses to the questionnaire. 
     
     
         8 . A method of producing a biographical writing, the method comprising:
 (a) requesting inputs from a user, wherein the requested inputs comprise information relating to a deceased friend or relative of the user;   (b) receiving inputs from the user, wherein the received inputs comprise information relating to the deceased friend or relative of the user;   (c) receiving a template selection, wherein the template selection relates to a selected format for an automatically generated biography to be based on the deceased friend or relative of the user; and   (d) automatically generating a biographical text based on the received inputs and the template selection, wherein the act of automatically generating the biographical text comprises processing the received inputs in accordance with the template selection.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the act of receiving a template selection is performed before the act of requesting inputs from the user, wherein the inputs are requested from the user based on the received template selection. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising providing a plurality of template options to the user, wherein the received template selection is selected by the user from the template options provided to the user. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising selecting a plurality of template options to provide to the user, wherein the template options provided to the user are selected based on the inputs received from the user, wherein the act of providing a plurality of template options to the user is performed in accordance with template options selected during the act of selecting a plurality of template options to provide to the user. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising automatically selecting a template, wherein the template is automatically selected based on the inputs received from the user, wherein the received template selection comprises the automatically selected template. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the received inputs comprise an audio tribute to the deceased friend or relative of the user. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the act of automatically generating a biographical text comprises converting at least a portion of the audio tribute to text. 
     
     
         15 . A method of providing narration for a movie, the method comprising:
 (a) receiving images relating to a deceased person, wherein the images are received from a living person associated with the deceased person;   (b) associating the received images with an identifier, wherein the identifier is further associated with the deceased person;   (c) receiving voice input from a living person associated with the deceased person, wherein the voice input comprises a tribute to the deceased person, wherein the voice input is associated with the identifier associated with the deceased person;   (d) automatically associating the voice input with the received images, wherein the act of automatically associating the voice input with the received images is based on the identifier associated with the deceased person;   (e) producing a movie based on at least a portion of the received images and the voice input, wherein at least a portion of the voice input is provided in the movie as a voice-over.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the received images comprise video images. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the voice input is received telephonically. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein the identifier comprises a number, wherein the number is telephonically received before or after the voice input. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the voice input is associated with one or more particular images of the plurality of received images. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the act of producing the movie comprises providing the voice input as a voice-over during a presentation of the one or more particular images that the voice input is associated with.